


The Way We Were

by eena



Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-24
Updated: 2004-08-24
Packaged: 2019-02-05 17:17:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12798825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eena/pseuds/eena
Summary: Notes: Hmm. Never done a notes section before. Just kind of went off and left you guys to flounder behind me. Well, I'll do it this time. Um, lets say the world of Anita Blake is the existent world. The whole world knows and everyone is okay with it. The Slayer is a well-kept secret though. Let's not kill Tara but send her away to Ohio or wherever she's originally from. Willow's addiction sticks, but she doesn't go evil. Let's say Warren does shoot Buffy but she survives. He makes it out of Sunnydale and Jonathan and Andrew are left in jail. Spike has no rapist ambitions and Anya is still a vengeance demon. Giles is still in England and I might throw in some Angel stuff. Um, that's it for now, I'll add more if needed as I go. And since I'm like Jinni, I'm not going to be able to fit this all in one shot. It'll be long and drawn out, like everything else I write. But I'll stick most of the requirements in the first part.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

Spoilers: Season Six for BTVS and Narcissus in Chains for Anita. 

 

 

"Two bottles of beer on the wall, two bottles of beer. Take one down and pass it around, one bottle of beer on the wall!" 

 

Willow flinched slightly from Spike's rather off-key singing. The vampire in question was drunk off his ass. And he had been for the better part of the night. He had originally started with one hundred bottles of beer. And she meant in singing and in actual beers. Good thing he was already dead, because otherwise his liver would have quit on him hours ago. 

 

"And to think," Xander piped up, pointing at the wasted vampire. "They want to give that civil rights." 

 

Buffy snorted from her spot on the couch. Dawn lay snuggled up against her older sister, eyes intent on the television. The whole group was more or less depressed or upset. The focus of their discontent was the current debate in Congress. 

 

"I can't believe they're going to make it illegal for me to do my sacred duty," the Slayer moaned. 

 

"I don't think they actually know about the Slayer," Willow mused. "And that is something I'm grateful for. With all the Vampire Rights lobbyists out there, I don't think you would be all that popular." 

 

"Save the stinking world, and yet someone is still on your ass about something," Buffy grumbled. "The world stinks. I'm just not going to save it next time." 

 

"Another thing that gets me is that they're all campaigning for killers," Xander added. "I mean, we have psychos like Warren on the loose and everyone's attention in on how we make the world better for the undead." 

 

"Bloody insane it is," Spike muttered. "Bad enough that I'm chipped and unable to do harm. But now the whole lot of us are being put on the endangered species list. What the bloody hell do we need voting rights for?" 

 

"And I get it for sentient beings, ones with souls," Buffy continued. "But what about the soulless killers out there? What about when they kill someone? Are they going to put them in jail for life? Hello, vampires are immortal! Next thing you know there'll be a Society for the Humane Treatment of Hell Hounds. What's the world coming to?" 

 

Willow shrugged and turned back to the television. Nothing had changed at all. Everyone was still fighting and no decisions were being made. 

 

"Well, it doesn't seem to be happening that the moment," she shrugged. "Civil rights will just have to wait for another day." 

 

Spike snorted and turned back to his game. 

 

"One bottle of beer on the wall, one bottle of beer! Take one down and turn it around, no bottles of beer on the wall!" 

 

Willow rolled her eyes as Spike downed his hundredth bottle of beer for the night. Dawn gave the vampire a sparing glance. 

 

"You're going to pass out," she informed him. 

 

"Will not," he stopped his drinking long enough to protest. 

 

Dawn snorted and turned back to the television while Spike went back to his beer. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Spike passed out about ten minutes later. They pretty much ignored the loud snoring emitting from the drunken vampire. On the television, it was announced the vampire civil rights bill was not passed. The four humans gathered their dishes and Spike's bottles of beer. Xander and Willow took care of the kitchen while Buffy and Dawn dealt with the living room and the vampire. Anya shimmered in about ten minutes into cleanup. She had been busy with the shop but had been watching the Congressional session on the television. The vengeance demon was disgusted by the proceedings as well. 

 

"Vampires don't want to vote," the demon shook her head. "They want to maim and kill. It's what they're made for." 

 

Willow had shrugged and resumed washing the dishes. Anya later wandered over to the sisters to talk. 

 

As Willow climbed the stairs for the night, she could hear giggling coming from the living room. 

 

"But I want to touch it!" she heard Dawn whine. 

 

"Not after where I put it," Buffy replied. 

 

"I'm going to have to do some serious vengeance when he wakes up," Anya offered. Curious, the redhead wandered back into the living room. 

 

She nearly burst out laughing when she saw what they had done. Spike, still unconscious, had been propped up in front of the couch. His shirt and pants had been removed. The vampire was clad only in his boxers. Dawn had put her pink bunny slippers on his feet and there was a rubber ducky resting on his crotch. On his head was a tiara that Willow recognized as Buffy's Prom Queen crown from LA. 

 

The Slayer was currently applying eye shadow to the sleeping vampire. Dawn had run off to get the camera while Anya stood by laughing silently. 

 

"You're evil," Willow announced to the sisters. They shot her identical innocent smiles and went back to work. Willow turned back up the stairs, leaving the vampire in their treacherous grasps. 

 

She was really too tired to participate in the fun. And besides, she could see the videotape in the morning.


	2. Part 2

Anita Blake glanced distastefully down at the letter in her hand. Her brow was furrowed with unhappiness, her mouth in a full out pout. 

 

"Stupid family," she muttered to herself. "Always ready to guilt trip you into anything." 

 

"What's that then?" 

 

Anita glanced up to see her pard enter the kitchen. Nathaniel immediately took a place next to her, concern on his face. Micah sat down at her other side while Cherry and Zane opted for standing. The were leopards knew something was wrong with their Nimra. She wasn't one for concealing her emotions, or thoughts, or just about anything. 

 

Anita was an outspoken woman if nothing else. 

 

"Stupid family," she repeated, waving the letter at them. "They want to have some stupid reunion. Dad just successfully guilted me into going." 

 

Nathaniel took the letter from her hands and began reading it out for the others. 

 

"Dear Anita, 

 

I know that your work keeps you occupied, but this is family. You keep insisting that you don't have the time, but I just don't see you putting any effort into trying. Your Aunt Sheila and Uncle Ira found time in their busy schedule to come, why can't you? And don't you think it's time for a visit? We're your family and we're lucky if we hear from you more than three times a year. I understand that you have obligations, but so do we all. It's just for one day. 

Can't you come and grace us with your presence for one day? Is that too much to ask for? 

 

Love always, 

 

Dad." 

 

"Wow," Cherry nodded. "That was harsh." 

 

"I know!" Anita agreed, jumping to her feet. She snatched the letter out of Nathaniel's hands and proceeded to wave it around. "It's like I'm the one who's uncaring and unresponsive, but that's not true! I love my family, I do. But I'm busy! God, I raise zombies, settle monster disputes, and spend my time trying to sort out the problems of my psychotic vampire boyfriend. Not to mention all the crap I do for the cops. And they refuse to understand that!" 

 

"Why don't you just go?" Micah spoke up. "One day, fly in for a few hours and then leave." 

 

"Because it doesn't work that way," Anita informed him. "I get there and all everyone will do is try and psychoanalyze me. Tell me that my relationship with Jean-Claude is nothing more than my continuing obsession with death. I've been preoccupied by it since my mother died. And don't you know dating a monster is just my way of lashing out at the members of my family? I do all this just to smear their good reputation and go against their moral fibre." 

 

"That bad?" Zane grinned at her. 

 

"You have no idea," Anita sighed, plopping down in her seat. "My Aunt Sheila is a psychologist and my Uncle Ira is a strict Jewish man. You should see the kind of crap they put my cousin through. And she's their daughter! I won't be safe at all from their psychobabble and attempts to redeem my soul." 

 

"Aren't you Catholic?" Cherry asked, confused. 

 

"Dad's Catholic, Mom was Jewish," Anita explained. "The family wasn't too keen on her marrying out of the religion and even less happy when I decided to follow the Catholic faith. Which is another thing; they'll spend all their time trying to convert me. It's going to be pure hell." 

 

Micah rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. 

 

"We can go with you," he offered. "Give you moral support." 

 

"Yeah, that'll work," Anita scoffed. "They'd rip you into pieces the second you stepped off the plane. And I am not in the mood to explain the dynamics of our three-person relationship. God, there is no way in hell I'm even going near that topic. Stupid reunion, it's a waste of time." 

 

"So, you're not going?" Nathaniel prompted. Anita gave him a glare. 

 

"Of course I'm going," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Haven't you been paying attention? Excuse me, I have to go pack." 

 

Anita stomped out of the kitchen. Nathaniel turned confused eyes to his friends. 

"That entire tirade was about her consenting to go?" 

 

Micah shrugged. 

 

"She's strange," he offered. "And I guess to Anita, all that meant she was going to go anyway. She just had to lay out all the dynamics for us first." 

 

"Woman's got to get her griping in," Zane nodded in agreement. Cherry poked him in the side. 

 

"That woman also has a gun fully loaded with silver bullets," she reminded him. "You can make fun of her after she's left. It'll be healthier." 

 

Micah nodded and then frowned. 

 

"When is this thing anyway?" 

 

~*~*~ 

 

"This Saturday," Willow griped. "I don't want to go!" 

 

Dawn gave her friend an appraising look. 

 

"It's not the end of the world," she scoffed at her. Then the girl froze and turned back to Willow. "It's not the end of the world, is it?" 

 

"No," Willow rolled her eyes. "But quite possibly the end of my sanity." 

 

Xander snorted. 

 

"Don't need much of that nowadays," he stated sourly. "After all, we live in a world that has created laws against the slaying of dangerous and homicidal demons." 

 

"At least they can't vote," Dawn chipped in helpfully. 

 

"It's bullshit," Xander continued. "How the hell can they justify it? You need a good reason to kill a vampire, or it's murder. What the fuck is that about?" 

 

"I'm with Xander," Buffy nodded. "What's the point of it? We can't get rid of the problem until a few innocent people have died?" 

 

"Let's not get back on this debate," Willow pleaded. "I have enough of a headache." 

 

"Oh just go," Anya told her. "Go and tell them all about your lesbian relationship with Tara. And while they're sputtering and stunned, you can make your leave. In and out within hours." 

 

"Anya's right," Dawn nodded. "Just suck it up and spend time with your family." 

"It won't be that bad," Xander offered. "Maybe that cousin Anita of yours will show up. And that way, everyone will be too busy yelling at her to even bother you. You'll be just fine." 

 

"There's always hope," Willow grumbled. She turned on her heel and headed up the steps. "I'm packing!" she yelled down to her friends. 

 

Dawn listened until she was sure Willow was out of earshot. "She is so in for it," she sighed. The others nodded. 

 

"She doesn't stand a chance."


	3. Part 3

Willow leapt through the jungle of aunts and uncles, squealing cousins, and what looked like her mother, bursting through the patio doors. The redhead cast a frantic look around her. They were closing in and she had nowhere to go. 

 

"PSST!" came a call from somewhere off to the right. "Willow, get over here!" 

 

The redhead spun in a circle, eyes searching the area around her. 

 

"Over here!" came the whisper again. Willow caught a glimpse of a beckoning hand. Now, growing up in Sunnydale taught Willow that you don't just go off on your own. But daring a glance behind her, Willow saw her mother and her aunt Claire join and head in her direction. 

 

Willow raced over to the beckoning hand. Screw danger. She'd run headfirst into hell before colliding with that tag team from hell. Arriving in front of her Uncle Morty's speedboat and didn't see anyone. Who the hell had been calling her?A hand clamped down on her shoulder and Willow felt herself being pulled up. The redhead gave a yelp, grabbing onto the boat's railing. Propelling herself up and over, Willow rolled away from her captor, hands immediately going for a weapon. 

 

"Hey, just me!" a familiar voice hissed at her. Willow raised wide eyes to her captor. She took in the long curly dark hair, the small frame, and dark eyes. Her cousin Anita noticed her stare and gave her a quick wink. 

 

"Couldn't stay in there any longer," she grinned. Willow breathed a sigh of relief and gave a little giggle. 

 

"I know what you mean," the redhead rolled her eyes. "If I hear one more criticizing remark about my relationship with Tara, I'm going to spontaneously combust." 

 

"Tara?" Anita frowned, brows knitting together. "You're gay? When did this happen? And how come no one told me?" 

 

"I'm actually bisexual," Willow amended. "And it happened like two years ago and no one is okay with it. I don't know why you haven't heard about it. I mean, I thought I was all the big disgrace nowadays." 

 

Anita rolled her eyes. 

 

"I guess you haven't heard of my recent exploits," the brunette laughed. "I think when it comes to this family, I hold the title of black sheep." 

 

Willow shook her head. 

 

"I think the sexuality thing really ruffles their feathers," she disagreed. "I think I'm the rotting fruit of the womb. And if the thing with Tara doesn`t do it, all the other crap I`ve pulled will." 

 

Anita arched an eyebrow. 

 

"Well, I smuggled out a bottle of scotch," Anita waved the bottle at Willow. 

"How's about we chug and compare stories? By the end of the day, we should know who embarrasses the family more." 

 

Willow smirked and took the bottle from her cousin. 

 

"You're on." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

"And then I said, `Prince of Night, I summon you! Come fill me with your black, naughty evil!'" Willow giggled, bringing the bottle back up to her lips. 

"You did not!" 

 

Willow nodded her head. "Yeah I did." 

 

Anita burst out into laughter, nearly toppling over. The brunette was red in the face and extremely drunk. Willow really couldn't be that judgemental. She was as drunk as Anita. They had spent the last couple of hours hiding in their uncle's boat, trading stories and taking swigs. It was a lot better than being in the house with their hostile relatives. 

 

"So, your turn," Willow nudged Anita with her toe. The brunette straightened and swallowed her laughter. Anita pursed her lips and tried to think of a story she could share with her cousin. 

 

"Okay, remember my friend Edward?" Willow nodded. "Yeah, well he needed help with this case. People were being killed and then skinned alive-" 

 

"Ew!" Willow interrupted. 

 

"Tell me about it," Anita sighed. "And anyway, it turned out to be this vampire who thought he was this god or something. And then I had to kill him, because he wanted to mate with me or something." 

 

Willow wrinkled her nose. 

 

"Okay, your stories are of more of the yuck factor," Willow consented. "But I think that I've broken more of their precious rules than you have. They just don't like the stuff you do. They actually find my actions to be immoral and wrong." 

 

Anita laughed and leaned back. 

 

"You haven't heard all of my stories," she chuckled. "Trust me. They're all that bad." 

 

Willow shook her head. 

 

"How did we get so out of touch?" Willow asked her cousin. 

 

Anita shrugged her shoulders. 

 

"I don't know," she admitted. "I honestly don't like it." 

 

"We should hang out," Willow ascertained. "We should like spend time together or something." 

 

A light bulb went off in Anita's head. Had she been more sober, she would have never said anything. But one true thing about alcohol, it really does dull your inhibitions. 

 

"Come visit me in St. Louis," she offered. Willow's head shot up. Anita swore she saw tears sparkling in her eyes. Damn, didn't anyone take an interest in Willow anymore? When was the last time any of the family invited her for a visit. When was the last time anyone paid attention to her? 

 

"Really?" Willow asked. 

 

Anita nodded. "Absolutely. That is if you want to.' 

 

Willow broke out into a large smile. 

 

"I definitely want to. When do we leave?"


	4. Part 4

"St. Louis, huh?" Xander raised a brow at Willow. The redhead nodded, while throwing more clothes into her suitcase. 

 

"That's where Anita lives," Willow agreed. "And that's where we'll be going." 

 

"Is that safe?" Xander pressed. "I mean, your cousin raises the dead for a living. And she's always involved in some big murder fiasco down there." 

 

"Unlike here, with Buffy," Willow arched a brow. "Where she slays the dead and gets into life threatening situations?" 

 

"Actually, my situations are always more apocalyptic than life threatening," Buffy added, walking into the room with Dawn in tow. "I know it means basically the same thing, but adding apocalyptic makes me feel all big and important." 

 

"Good to know," Willow mumbled, distracted. She pulled a fuzzy pink sweater out of her closet and frowned at it. She tossed it onto a pile of discarded clothing. 

 

"Going for a theme or something?" Dawn asked, motioning to the clothes pile. 

Willow put her hands on her hips. 

 

"I don't want to bring anything fuzzy," she declared firmly. "So I'm sticking to the newer wardrobe. I don't want Anita and her friends to think I'm some sort of a child." 

 

"So the fuzzies are out?" Buffy asked, peering at the clothes Willow had put in her suitcase. Xander looked as well and it didn't sit well with him. All he could see was tight pants, crop tops and tight shirts, a few peasant blouses, and a few skirts. 

 

"I think you should take the fuzzies," he suggested, starting to pull some of the more revealing clothing out. "I mean, it's St. Louis, it could be cold and stuff there." 

 

Willow snatched the clothes back and gave him a look."It's the middle of summer," she told him, putting her clothes back into the suitcase. "I won't need fuzzy sweaters. And I'm taking these with me. And you are not my father, so don't try to censor my wardrobe." 

 

"I could phone your dad," Xander suggested. "Then he could censor it from the phone." 

 

"Nice try, but even I don't know where my parents are this week," Willow grinned at him. "Just going to have to deal." 

 

"I don't wanna," Xander pouted. "How many guys did she say live with her?" 

 

"You might also want to ask how many girls?" Anya piped up, shimmering into the room. 

 

Willow gave her a slight smile."I'm more concerned about how the guys will act around Willow, not how Willow will act around them," Xander informed her stuffily. "And with clothes like these, they might get the wrong impression. Let's get some of those good old floral skirts and fuzzy sweaters in here." 

 

Willow slapped his hand away from her luggage. 

 

"You are being banned from the packing party," she told him, ushering him out the door. 

 

"But-" 

 

Buffy grabbed him by the collar and propelled him out of the door. Willow shot her a grateful smile and went back to her packing. Dawn and Anya stood in front of her closet, pulling out clothes and discarded some others. 

 

"So, what did you say your cousins name is?" Anya asked, pulling a sheer tank top out of the closet and throwing it into her suitcase. 

 

"Anita Blake," Willow answered, pulling the same tank top out and giving it an arched brow. She wasn't so sure she wanted to be this trendy. 

 

Anya frowned and placed a hand on her chin. 

 

"Why does that sound so familiar?" the demoness mused. 

 

"She's a necromancer," Willow supplied. "And she does some work for the cops. She's like a major expert on the supernatural or something." 

 

"Maybe," Anya shrugged. "Whatever, it'll come to me or it won't. No big deal." 

 

"So, does she really raise the dead?" Dawn asked, throwing one of Willow's rare mini-skirts into the luggage. 

 

"Yup, but I think she's taking a few days off while I'm there," Willow shrugged. "But then again, it's not like I haven't seen a zombie or two in my life." 

 

"I don't think she knows that," Anya laughed. "And I think you should probably keep it to yourself. Those people might think you're weird or something." 

 

Willow nodded emphatically. 

 

"Absolutely," Willow agreed. "All the magic stuff is left at home. For one month, I'm going to be the most normal person in the world." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

"We have to be normal for one month," Anita instructed her friends. "Just one month, and then we go back to normal. Well, normal for us, not normal for others, because our normal is not normal-" 

 

"Anita, you're babbling," Micah was looking at her with concern in his eyes. "You don't babble. Calm down." 

 

Anita drew a shaky breath. 

 

"I can't believe I invited her here," she moaned, flopping onto her couch. "Damn, I was so drunk. How the hell am I supposed to keep her safe and ignorant for one month?" 

 

"What possessed you to ask her in the first place?" Gregory asked her. 

 

"I don't know," Anita shrugged. "We were hiding and getting plastered and it just came out. And she looked so happy, I couldn't take it back. My God, everyone just ignores that poor girl. And I do love her. She is the best cousin in the whole world. She's probably the best person all around in the whole world." 

 

"She's sounds really nice," Zane offered with a grin. "Are you sure she's related to you?" 

 

"I wonder sometimes," Anita mused, ignoring the teasing behind the comment. "She's always been so different. I mean, she lets things be. And she can let things go. I've never been able to do that." 

 

"When does she get here?" Nathaniel asked. 

 

"Day after tomorrow," Anita sighed. "And we have to act normal. That means no monster wars, no three way vampire action, no sleeping in the same bed, everyone must be dressed fully at all times, and no one will try to seduce or I will shoot you where you stand." 

 

"Got it," Cherry nodded. "Cute little redhead is off limits. But one question: what are you going to do about Jean-Claude?" 

 

"Well, if he knows what's good for him, he'll behave and stay away as much as possible." 

 

"And if he doesn't?" 

 

Anita shrugged and pulled out her precious Browning. 

 

"Then I'll shoot his dick off."


	5. Part 5

Willow felt a bit apprehensive stepping off the plane. True, she was looking forward to this and she did want to spend time with Anita, but there was something else. Willow wasn't entirely sure how she was going to keep all her secrets secret for a month. Imagine, one month without magic. Not that Willow needed magic, but it had become apart of her life. What if she accidentally did something without really knowing? God, what a mess that would be. 

 

Her eyes darted around the arrival area. She didn't see Anita anywhere. Probably because the woman was so tiny and such, but also because she wasn't there. 

Willow felt a tiny bit nervous. She did tell Anita the right time, right? 

 

Hands on her hips, Willow looked around the airport. No one that even remotely looked like Anita. The redhead didn't know if she should be annoyed or worried. She was leaning towards worried, she knew what Anita did for a living. What if one of the zombies went nuts and ate her? 

 

"Calm down spaz girl," she chided herself. "Anita was not eaten by a zombie. She's probably just late." 

 

Gathering a resemblance of calm, Willow headed for the baggage carousel. She could get her bags while she waited. And if Anita still didn't show, the redhead felt she would be capable enough to flag down a taxi. After all, she was an adult. She could look after herself. 

~*~*~ 

 

"Her flight already landed," Micah informed Nathaniel. "She's got to be around here somewhere." 

 

"Well, let's find her fast," Nathaniel muttered. "I wouldn't want to be the person to lose Anita's precious cousin." 

 

"We didn't lose her," Micah objected. "We just can't find her at this exact moment." 

 

"You should have let me drive," Nathaniel countered. "I would have gotten us here in time." 

 

"And most likely taken out an entire city block while you were at it," Micah muttered under his breath. 

 

Nathaniel chose to ignore that remark. Micah did out rank him as Nimir-Raj. He would in no way point out that the leopard drove like an old granny. He swept his eyes over the airport crowd. How hard could it be to find one redhead? 

 

"There," Micah announced, pointing to the baggage area. "I see her." 

 

Nathaniel followed the direction of his finger. Sure enough, there was a little redhead waiting to get her luggage. But that couldn't be the girl Anita was talking about. Anita said her cousin was a computer nerd. This girl did not even come close to fitting that description. He did however find a whole lot of words to describe her. The number one being beautiful followed by sexy at second. 

"Are you sure?" he asked Micah. The dark-haired man nodded. 

 

"Anita showed me a picture," he answered. "She looks a little different, but that's her. She smells like Anita." 

 

Nathaniel shot him a strange look before sampling the air as well. Micah was right, the girl smelled similar to Anita. Must be her. Micah clapped him on the shoulder and nodded in the direction of the redhead. 

 

"Let's go get her." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Willow was very focused on picking out her luggage. That's why she didn't realize there were people behind her until one of them spoke. 

 

"Willow Rosenburg?" 

 

The redhead whirled around at the sound of her name. She took in the two very handsome men behind her and gave a little blush. "Yeah?" 

 

The one with dark hair smiled disarmingly at her. 

 

"I'm Micah," he introduced himself, offering her his hand. "This is Nathaniel. Anita had an emergency and sent us to pick you up." 

 

"Oh, well that's good," she laughed, accepting his hand. "I thought I gave her the wrong time or something." 

 

"Nah," the auburn haired one, Nathaniel waved off. "Sorry about being late though. Micah here is an overly cautious driver." 

 

"Better than a reckless one hair boy," Micah shot back easily. Willow bit back a giggle at that. Hair boy really did seem to suit Nathaniel. His hair was long, way long. He had it braided down his back. It was almost down to his ankles. She liked it. Nathaniel noticed her attention and gave her a sexy smile. Willow blushed and began to sputter. 

 

"It's very nice," she stammered. "Not really used to it on guys. Or girls for that matter, because it would be a pain to look after. But you look like you manage it and then all is cool." 

 

Micah tilted his head and looked curiously at her. "I think I found where Anita picked up that new babbling habit of hers," he teased lightly. Willow blushed deeper and turned around to face the baggage carousel. 

 

"I just need to get my bags," she explained, not wanting to face them until her face went back to normal. 

 

"We got it," Nathaniel waved off, coming to stand beside her. Willow shot him a look. 

 

"Are you sure?" she pressed. "There's a lot and they're heavy." 

 

"So naturally we should let you handle it," Micah laughed, coming to her other side. Willow ducked her head and blushed some more. If they didn't stop doing stuff like that, she was going to spontaneously combust. 

 

"So," she changed the subject. "What emergency did Anita have to run off to?" 

 

Nathaniel shrugged, leaning over to pick up one of her bags. Willow frowned a bit at that. She didn't even tell him which one was hers. How did he know? 

 

"Something to do with the police," the man answered, oblivious to her questioning look. "Dolph asked her for some help with something." 

 

"Is it serious?" she asked, eyes wide. 

 

"Nah," Micah assured her, picking up another of her bags. "Just some background on some supernatural thingy." 

 

Willow nodded, confused. How did they know which bags were hers? Could they read the tags from this far away? Damn good eyesight if they could. 

 

"That's the last of them," she told them as Nathaniel hauled off another suitcase. 

 

"Three bags?" Micah shot her a strange look. "That's not a lot." 

 

"It is for me," Willow shrugged. "Besides, I figured I'd be returning with a lot more crap anyway." 

 

"Good philosophy," Micah nodded. "Let's go." 

 

Willow nodded and turned to follow him. Nathaniel flashed her another smile. 

Something flickered across his eyes at that point. For a second she thought he looked so predatory . . . Then it was gone. 

 

Shaking her head, Willow followed the two men out of the airport.


End file.
